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A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF A VARIETY OF FACTORS ON THE METABOLIC RATE OF THE MOUSE
Author(s) -
Pennycuik Pamela R
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1967.33
Subject(s) - oxygen , zoology , metabolic rate , hairless , biology , chemistry , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Summary Measurements of resting and total metabolic rate were made on a series of different strains of mice at six different ambient temperatures: 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36°. At temperatures al and above 32° mice acclimatized as adults to 36° had significantly lower rates of oxygen consumption than mice acclimatized to 21°. Second and third generation animals reared at 34° had higher rates of oxygen utilization than those reared at 21°. By the sixth generation the oxygen utilization at 32° and above was decreased to levels below those of mice reared at 21°. Mice of different genetic backgrounds were found to have significantly different rates of O 2 consumption. Animals with short ears and vestigial tails had higher rates of oxygen consumption than animals with long ears and tails at temperatures of 32° and above. The oxygen consumptions of naked mice were also elevated at these temperatures, as well as at temperatures below the thermoneutral point (33°). Hairless animals had rates of oxygen consumption significantly higher than those of furred sibs at all temperatures investigated. There was no difference between the oxygen consumptions of white and black mice. Activity caused a significant rise in metabolic rate at all temperatures investigated. This was less noticeable at the thermoneutral point than at the extremes of the temperature range investigated. Lactation almost doubled the metabolic rate of mice reared and measured at 34°.